The latest issue of the National Civic Review explores the successes of four government entities in Southern California — two cities, a county and a school district — in adapting to a difficult and unpredictable fiscal environment. The articles are now available for free. The National Civic Review is publication of the National Civic League.

The case investigations are part of a three-year research project on local governments and “fiscal sustainability.” Last year, the National Civic League, the University of Southern California and the University of San Francisco entered into a partnership to conduct the research to explore the impact of leadership in designing strategy to address several long-term structural changes in the economic and institutional environments, including:

Slowing of the state’s economy;

Increased expectations for collective goods;

Skyrocketing costs, especially in employee salaries and benefits;

Greater limits on flexibility in collecting and spending state and local revenues; and

Growing public skepticism on whether government can spend tax dollars wisely.

The cases — Los Angeles County, the cities of Long Beach and Brea and the Whittier Union High School District — were selected through a process that involved, among other things, asking for recommendations from state–wide associations, including the League and California State Associations of Counties as well as and senior staff with 20 or more years of local government experience and researchers.